Arrangement for mouting rolls in a guide roll rack

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for mounting the rolls of a guide roll rack of a continuous casting machine. The rack includes a rigid cage in which sets of vertically spaced idler rolls are journaled to define a pass for confining a casting as it descends from a mold. The mounting includes stationary shafts which extend across the four sides of the cage between fixed corner posts and are received in intersecting bores in the posts. One end of each shaft abuts the side of another shaft, which has a diametric bore to receive a keying means for the abutting shaft.

Cited States atet [72] Inventor George F. Schwartz Hampton Township, Allegheny County, Pa. 74,805

Sept. 23, 1970 Jan. 4, 1972 United States Steel Corporation [21 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] ARRANGEMENT FOR MOUTING ROLLS IN A [56] References Cited Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant ExaminerW. Scott Carson Att0rneyWalter P. Wood ABSTRACT: An arrangement for mounting the rolls of a guide roll rack of a continuous casting machine. The rack includes a rigid cage in which sets of vertically spaced idler rolls are journaled to define a pass for confining a casting as it descends from a mold. The mounting includes stationary shafts which extend across the four sides of the cage between fixed corner posts and are received in intersecting bores in the posts. One end of each shaft abuts the side of another shaft, which has a diametric bore to receive a keying means for the abutting shaft.

PMENTED JAN 4mm SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR. GEORGE E SCHWARTZ Wwav r MM-Q A/rorney PMENTEB m 4972 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR. GEORGE E SCHWARTZ y Attorney ARRANGEMENT FOR MOUTING ROLLS IN A GUIDE ROLL RACK This invention relates to an improved arrangement for mounting rolls in the guide roll rack of a continuouscasting machine.

In a conventional continuous casting operation, liquid metal is poured through an open ended, water cooled, vertically oscillating mold. A casting, which at this stage has only a relatively thin solidified skin and a liquid core, emerges continuously from the lower end of the mold. Immediately beneath the mold the casing travels through a series of idler guide rolls, where water is sprayed on its surface to effect further solidification. The guide rolls define a pass which must be accurately aligned throughout its height and accurately aligned with the mold to confine the casting, yet avoid rupturing its skin and causing breakouts" of liquid metal. The severe conditions under which guide rolls operate necessitate that they be removed frequently for maintenance or replacement.

A copending application of I-Iofmann and Stull Ser. No. 74,806, filed Sept. 9, 1970, of common ownership shows a guide roll rack formed of a number of individual sections, each of which includes a cage and a plurality of idler rolls journaled in the cage. Each section is supported on a respective pair of arms hinged to a fixed part of the structure. Any section can be removed without disturbing other equipment simply by swinging this section and its supporting arms away from the path of the casting and lifting the section off the arms with a suitable hoist. I have illustrated my roll mounting in a roll rack of this construction, but it is apparent that use of my mounting is not thus limited.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement for mounting guide rolls in a cage and allowing them to be removed from the cage or installed quickly and easily.

A further object is to provide a mounting arrangement in which the rolls are journaled on stationary shafts removably fixed in a cage, whereby the shafts and rollers are readily taken out or replaced.

A further object is to provide a mounting arrangement in which lubricant supply pipes serve also to key the shafts in the cage, thereby avoiding need for cap screws or the like.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of one section of a guide roll rack in which the rolls are mounted in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on a larger scale on line llll ofFIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing a modification.

FIGS. I and 2 show one section of a roll rack of a construction similar to that shown in the aforementioned Hofmann and Stull application. The section includes a rigid cage which is rectangular in plan and is formed of four vertically extending comer posts 10, a and 10b and 100, and a plurality of horizontal connectors 12 welded to the posts. A plurality of sets of vertically spaced idler rolls [3 are journaled between the posts and define a rectangular pass for confining a descending casting. Other parts of the casting machine are not shown, since they are not involved in the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the corner post 10 has pairs of horizontal bores 14 and 15 which intersect at right angles at the level of each set of idler rolls 13. A stationary shaft I6 extends through bore 14 and into an aligned bore in post spanning the space between the two posts 10 and 10c. Shafts 16a. I6b and 16c extend through bores similarly arranged in the other posts. The far end of shaft 16 abuts the side face of shaft 16c and so on around the cage. Shaft 16 has a diametric hole 17 concentric with shaft 16a. The latter shaft has an axial bore I8 which has a tapped counterbore l9 and a radial outlet 20. A lubricant pipe 21 extends freely through the hole I7 of shaft 16 and into the counterbore I9 of shaft 16a, where it is threadedly joined to the latter shaft. The end of shaft 16 has a slot 23. When I install the shaft, I can insert a tool in slot 23 to turn the shaft to a position in which its hole I7 is ali ned with bore 18 in shaft 160. The parts at the other comers o the cage are similarly related. Each shaft carries a pair of bearings 22 for a respective roll 13. Lubricant for the bearings is supplied through pipe 21 and bore 18, and through the corresponding pipes and bores at the other comers.

FIG. 3 shows a modification in which the bearings 25 are of a lubricantimpregnated type. I replace pipe 21 with a short length rod 26 and eliminate the bore 18.

Before dismantling the rack, I remove it from the casting machine, conveniently as shown in the Hofmann and Stull application. If the rack is constructed as shown in FIG. 2, I remove the lubricant pipe 21 and the other lubricant pipes. I then pull the shafts 16, 16a, 16b and 16c from the bores in the corner posts 10, 10a, 10b and 100. The rolls 13 thus are free for replacement as required. I follow the reverse procedure in assembling the parts. The lubricant pipes key the shafts in place.

Iclaim:

1. In a roll rack for a continuous casting machine, which rack includes four vertically extending cornerposts, means connecting said posts to form therewith a rigid cage, and a plurality of sets of vertically spaced rolls journaled between said posts and defining a rectangular pass for confining a descending casting, the combination therewith of an improved mounting arrangement for said rolls, said arrangement comprising stationary shafts extending between said'posts at the level of each set of rolls, said posts having bores which intersect at right angles and receive said shafts with one end of each shaft abutting the side face of another shaft which a pair of said bores, each shaft having a diametric hole concentric with the abutting shaft, means extending through said holes and engaged with the abutting shafts removably keying the shafts in the cage, and bearings for said rolls carried on said shafts.

2. A combination as defined in claim I in which said lastnamed means are lubricant pipes, and said shafts have bores with radial outlets for supplying lubricant to said bearings.

3. A combination as defined in claim I in which said lastnamed means are short length rods engaged with the ends of the shafts.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIGN Patent No. 3,631,916 Dated January 1972 Inventofls) George F. Schwartz It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 11, "casing" should read casting a Column 2, line 46 "which" should read within Signed and sealed this 7th day of November- 1972 (SEAL) Attesb:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. Attesting Qfficer ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents :ORM PC4050 USCOMM-DC 00376-P69 U.S, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I96" O---J66-334 

1. In a roll rack for a continuous casting machine, which rack includes four vertically extending cornerposts, means connecting said posts to form therewith a rigid cage, and a plurality of sets of vertically spaced rolls journaled between said posts and defining a rectangular pass for confining a descending casting, the combination therewith of an improved mounting arrangement for said rolls, said arrangement comprising stationary shafts extending between said posts at the level of each set of rolls, said posts having bores which intersect at right angles and receive said shafts with one end of each shaft abutting the side face of another shaft within a pair of said bores, each shaft having a diametric hole concentric with the abutting shaft, means extending through said holes and engaged with the abutting shafts removably keying the shafts in the cage, and bearings for said rolls carried on said shafts.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said last-named means are lubricant pipes, and said shafts have bores with radial outlets for supplying lubricant to said bearings.
 3. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said last-named means are short length rods engaged with the ends of the shafts. 